In Control

With so much going on in the world of technology, we decided to consult the experts at Rayleigh Hi-Fi in Chelmsford, who are currently celebrating their 40th year of trading, to find out what’s really hot, what the next big things is, and how it all works.

According to General Manager Rob Goddard, control is one of the main things occupying the minds of anyone who’s in the know at the moment. You know how it is…we all have bits of equipment everywhere, a TV and DVD player in the living room, an MP3 player in the bedroom, and a stereo in the kitchen. There’s controllers all over the house and if you lose one, a frenzied turning upside down of the house ensues until it’s invariably found down the side of the sofa.

That’s where Control4 comes in.

What is Control 4?

Control4 is a mastermind solution, a super-useful piece of kit that in one simple move makes it possible for you to control virtually any appliance or device in your home. It does this by getting them to communicate wirelessly with each other and it’s not restricted to music and entertainment, it can switch your heating on and off, and you can even program it to take over your home security – from locks to doors to lights.

Rob says, “The primary reason we have chosen to use Control4 as our key partner in automation is their flexible platform. With Control4, customers can start with a simple solution, but add to their system over time, when budget allows. We can expand the system to control more audio zones, more flat-screen TVs, lighting systems, and even heating and cooling. This way, we can begin by controlling a single TV room in the property – and over time add music in the bedroom, kitchen, and even the garden.”

“Another reason we chose Control4 to partner with is their vision of ‘Better. Together’ Control4 enables our customers to control virtually any electronic devices in their home, no matter who the manufacturer is – having them work in a seamless, easy to control and personalised environment. Control4 is all about personalised control, and that is what matters to our customers”

“We understand that our customers want to control their home in the way they want – and Control4 gets that too. They offer choice: options for consumers that make sense for them: easy-to-use, intuitive hand-held remotes for controlling TV’s, as well as sleek in-wall touch panels to house in the kitchen and iPads for choosing music, adjusting the lighting, and checking cameras around the property.”

Movie Nights

The system lets you set up the perfect atmosphere for a movie night with the family, turn your heating on before you get home from holiday and of course, manage the soundtrack in every room of the house. It’s also got excellent green credentials – A typical home powered by Control4 will eliminate more than 850 pounds of CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to not driving your car for a whole month!

You can control the whole shebang from an iPad or iphone if you’ve got one, just by downloading the free app.